Hubby and I spent the weekend near St. Louis. What an awesome city! We plan to return and check out some of the sites. I would like to visit the St. Louis Zoo. We passed a few signs for casinos that I am sure hubby would like to check out.
How many of us love to visit the gift shops when visiting areas along our travel route? I usually think of such shops as full of cheap junk. They usually have the standard items and the only thing that is different is the name of the location stamped on them. That said, there are some interesting and collectible items found in gift shops.
Aquariums have gift shops indicative to the creatures shown in their giant tanks. You want a stuffed dolphin? You got it! I am fascinated when I see a seahorse or a starfish encased in a round ball of glass known as a paperweight. Now, these are souvies worth taking home!
Bernese Oberland area of Switzerland
While the United States is rich in history, it cannot compare to European countries. If you are interested in history, you will have struck the mother lode when traveling in Switzerland. From August 23 – 30, 2009 you can study the history of Europe’s Switzerland and save at participating hotels like the Beau-Rivage Palace.
There are so many fabulous, historical hotels in Switzerland that there is an award for “The Historic Hotel / Restaurant of the Year”. This year’s recipient is the Gasthof Hirschen of Eglisau. This hotel is over 300 years old, and has been in the same family for most of its life!
We all have noticed that large sports centers are often named for businesses who are willing to pay for their name to be associated with said structure. Those naming rights gave this old looking new building its name. Conseco is a financial services organization based in Carmel, Indiana, less than 20 minutes from downtown Indianapolis.
Conseco is the home of the Indiana Pacers and the Indiana Fever. The Indiana Ice also use Conseco Fieldhouse as their home arena for a few games a year.
When my husband and I were first married, we were fortunate to visit Germany, Holland and my favorite country, Switzerland. As tourists, we discovered the history of each place and saw many new things we had never known existed.
We like to refer to these items of new found interest as Swiss “Pearls”. Pearls are gems and we found gems in the Swiss culture that we will always treasure. One such pearl is that the cities of Basel, Geneva, Winterthur, Zug and Zurich offer special ladies’ tours which relate the history of these cities from a distinctly female perspective.
I think of dark beer when I think of European countries but did you know that hops are used not just in beer, but also find their way into schnapps, vinegar, oil, pralines, pasta, tea, cosmetics and herbal remedies. In the Hof Hopfentropfen brewery in Switzerland, visitors can attend a brewing seminar or a demonstration brewing. You might be surprised to find that at the brewery, you can help with the production of the brewery’s own special beer!
Check out all that Switzerland has to offer. You will discover Swiss “Pearls” like making cheese or even how paper was manufactured in Medieval times.
When we visited Switzerland, we were fortunate to purchase a unique bell that we display in our family room. I have since discovered that it is possible to cast your own bell at the bell foundry in Berger in Bärau. What an awesome souvenir a self made bell would be to remember your trip to Switzerland. This is a picture of the bell we purchased:
The enjoyment of visiting Switzerland is only limited by time! Plan your trip now.
It has been so many years since our family has visited Mammoth Caves. I think it is time to go there again! The park encompasses large parts of Edmonson County, Kentucky and smaller area of Hart County and Barren County which is not far from where we live.
Mammoth Cave is the most extensive cave system known so far, with over 365 miles already explored. One might think that the name comes from the prehistoric Wooley Mammoth however, the name actually comes from the word mammoth as in large in size.
When we visited the cave, we took a tour much like the first tours of 1797 when the cave was discovered. It was surprising how cool the temperature was since it was horribly hot outdoors. The guide turned off his light and we felt an unusual sense of calm as we were in pitch black darkness. I was glad to have the light back once again.
Archeological investigations proved that prehistorically the Mammoth Cave was used by Native Americans as a burial place, as most mummies presented evidence of pre-Columbian funerary practice.
The main attractions remain features such as Grand Avenue, Frozen Niagara, and Fat Man’s Misery which was the tour we took. The cave tours vary in difficulty and length, the cave being either lighted electrically or by the paraffin lamps carried by the visitors themselves.
